Car coupler



June 14, 1960 w. .1. METZGER CAR COUPLER Filed July 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. W/ZZ/AA/ J MHZGZX June 14, 1960 w. J. METZGER CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 18, 1955 2 m M NM m IJ U M A w United States Patent:

CAR COUPLER William J. Metzger, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed July 18, 1955, Ser. No. 522,535

12 Claims. (Cl. 213-400) This invention relates to rigid-jawed type car couplers and more particularly to lock-set mechanism therefor.

The purpose of the lock-setting mechanism in a car coupler is to enable a trainman to place the lock of the coupler in a position whereby mated couplers can be separated without further actuation of the uncoupling mechanism. This enables uncoupling of a car, or a group of cars, Without the need of holding the lock out of locking position by means of the uncoupling rod.

This invention is particularly adapted for use with a rigid-jawed coupler commonly known as the Industrial type Willison coupler, in which a spring compressed between the rearward end of a longitudinally movable lock and an abutment in the coupler head maintains the lock in projected or locking position. Heretofore this type of coupler has not embodied a lock-setting feature and in order to separate mated couplers the trainman has had either to go between the cars to directly actuate the lock operating lever, or to actuate the lever from the side of the car by means of an uncoupling rod. This procedure is not only inefficient and inconvenient but also gives rise to the possibility of injury because the trainman has to hold on to the lock lever or to the uncoupling rod during the switching operation in order to maintain the lock out of locking position.

The present'invention eliminates the need of manually holding the lock of the coupler in retracted position during switching operations and provides a convenient and safe method of disengaging coupled couplers.

Accordingly, the primary object of the inventionis to provide a simple, yet effective lock-set mechanism for a rigid-jawed type coupler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rigidjawed coupler of the Willison Industrial type having a lock-set feature. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a locksetting mechanism for a rigid-jawed type coupler in which novel means is provided to manually remove the lock from lock-set position, if so desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rigid-jawed coupler of the Willison Industrial type having a. lock-setting feature and which will couple with present rigid-jawed type couplers not having such a feature.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a rigid-jawed coupler in which a movable lock-set member is disposed in a recess on the bufiing jaw side of the coupler head and which embodies a lock-set seat adapted for abutting engagement with the lock-operating lever to maintain the lock of the coupler in retracted or unlocking position when the coupler is coupled to an opposing coupler.

Other various features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view partly in section of a coupler embodying'the invention, the lock and associated lock op- Patented June 14, 1960 crating lever of the coupler being shown in locking position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the coupler shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section showing the lock and associated lock operating lever of the coupler held in lock-set position by the longitudinally movable lock-set member, which in turn is maintained in retracted position by the head of the opposing coupled coupler (shown in dot-dash) Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the coupler shown in Fig. 3. I Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the lock lever;

Fig. 7 is a side elevational View of the lock lever.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary View similar to Fig. 5 but showing the lock-set member being moved forwardly and upwardly as the lock and associated lock operating lever of the coupler move from lock-set position back to locking position.

. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a rigid-jaw coupler of a well-known type having a head 18 comprising a pulling jaw 12 and boiling jaw 14. Pulling and bufling jaws 12 and 14 have diagonal front abutment surfaces 12a and 14a, respectively, for gathering and aligning an opposing similar coupler during coupling operations. Connecting the pulling and boiling jaws and arranged at an angle to the longitudinal center line of the coupler is a boiling wall 16 having a butting face 18 on the forward side thereof. The pulling jaw of the coupler has a recess 20 to receive the complementary bufiing jaw 14 of an opposing coupler. Forming one side of recess 29 on pulling jaw 12 is pulling face 22 adapted for engagement with complementary face 23 on the butting jaw of an opposing coupler head when coupled couplers are subjected to pulling forces. Formed rearwardly of jaw 14 is a guiding wing 24 comprising a laterally and rearwardly extending wall 26 reinforced by transverse web 28. Wing 24 is adapted to align opposing couplers for coupling from various horizontally angled positions. v

The lock 30 of the coupler is of the usual construction and comprises a vertically extending head portion 30a and a shank portion 3% extending rearwardly into cavity 32 in the coupler head. The end of the lock shank extends through an opening 33 in flange 34 which projects inwardly from the side wall of the coupler shank. Disposed between the head portion Stia and flange 34 and encircling shank portion Silb is lock spring 36. Spring 36 w is assembled under aslightinitial compression in the coupler head and maintains the lock in forward or locking position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lock is operated by lock lever 38 which comprises an upper arm 40 for attachment to an uncoupling rod and a lower arm 41 extending into cavity 32 in the coupler head- Intermediate the arms 40 and 41, a pin 39 extends through opening 39a inthe lever to pivotally mount the latter on the coupler head. 7 Lock lever arm 41 (Fig. 6) is in the form of a crank having an upper portion 41a and a lower, substantially horizontal portion 41b. Portion 41bextends through an opening 42 in the lock, thereby placing portion 41b in following relation with the lock, and is engageable with abutment surface 42a (Fig. 3) in opening .2 during pivoting of the lever to move the lock rearwardly out of locking position into an unlocking position. Arm portion 41b terminates in a downwardly extending portion 43 substantially at right angles to the remainder of the arm. The purpose of downwardly extending portion 43 will be hereinafter described.

look-set position.

able clearance exists between the top and end surfaces 'of the lock-set member and thecorresponding top and end surfaces 48 and 52 of the recess to provide for free surface '50,- and rear surface 2. As can'be best seen Figs. 5 and 8, top surface 48 slopes upwardly and rearwardly, comme'nc'ingsubstantially adjacent the for- Ward end thereof. Bufling jaw 14 is also centrally cored arm '41 of the lever to move lock 30 rearwardly against the forward side of web abutment -56 in the recess 46 outzas at 54 a) form a continuation of recess 46, opening as,a t'55 onto abutment surface 14a of the bufiingjaw.

' a Web 56 -(Fgs; 1, 3 and 5) extends'between the top and bottom surfaces :48 and 49 of slot 46 at the forward 'Lockset member 58 is'reciprocably supported in recess 46 and coredout portion 541 and comprises'a head portion 58a of hook-shaped configurationtFigs. 1 and '3),

. and a rearwardly extending body portion 58b (Figs. 1 and S). 7 V v V larged as at 60 and embodies forwardly facing and down- The rearward end of body portion 58b is en wardly sloping abutment surface 62 on the underside thereofwhich is adapted for engagement with complementary portion 64 on the bottom sur'face49 of slot 46. Thelock-set member 58 is supported on the front portion of'bottom surface49 of the recess forwardly of sloping portion 64'when the lock is in either lock-releasing or It willalso be observed that considermovement of the member upon actuation thereof.

" Lock-set member 518 is provided on its inner side with lock-set seat surface 5% disposed rearwardly of surface 59a. 'Surface 59biis adapted for opposing engagement .7 end thereof for apurpose which will be hereinafter de- 7 scribed.

to limit rearward movement of the lock-set piece during pivoting of the'lock lever and movement of the lock to lock-set position. a

When the outer end of arm 41 of the lock operating lever moves rearwardly to a point past the rearward ex t emity of su f 59 on v" ck-s t lug 5 th lo set member 58 is free to drop from its tilted position to a horizontal'lock-settiug position, with the outer end of arm 41 of the lever disposed rearwardly of but adi t olu on t e k s tm m en a may bes n in Fig. 5. In this connnection it will be observed from Fig.5 that the outer'end of 419i theloqkllever has a fla u a 9 the n ,for full surfa cont ct with rearwardly facing lock-set surface 59b going 59 when the lever and loci: are in unlocking position;

It will be seen therefore that'the abutting engagement between the outer end of arm41 and the rearwai'dly with the lock operating lever 38 of the coupler to main- Afeature of the invention resides in the provisionto'f the loci; in lock-s'et position, as will be hereinafter described. ,1 I I can thus beiplaced inlock-set its coupler unlocking or retracted position and maintained in such position without the need of manually holding onto the lockjlever or lincoupling rod, whatever the case mayr be, during switching operations. 7 i vided foruncoupling coupled couplers.

With the lo k'o t le ne f t e c up edicouplrs n unl c in or e ra ed p n, the m sses be i ea ily ep ed i n me to unc up ed p s t gn, w th.

applying an upward force against the projection. 'As

can be 'be'st seen' from Figs. 1 and 8, projection 68 is' disposedbelow the "reinforcing web 28 ion the coupler aligning wing 24 and is sopositioned on lock-set'm'ember 58" thatino interference'occurs between the lug and theg web upon upward movementofthe lock-set member during movement of the lock off lock-set position.

"When 'a coupler embodying the invention is not coupled to anopposing coupler," the longitudinally. movable lock se't member 58 may extend slightly forwardly of the front abutment' surface 14a on the bufling jaw. '14,, ,as shown in 'Fig. 1. However, when the conpler is coupled to an opposing coupler, the lock-set' member 58 engages the bufling face '18 on the opposing coupler and is moved rearwardly to a position'where the for-ward end of the hea d portion 58a of the lock-set member is disposed fiush with surface 14a on'bufling jaw 14 of. the coupler (Fig. '3) and the member stays in such position as long as the couplers remain. coupled.

Theioperation of the lock-settingmechanismis as'follows: -With a pair .of opposing couplers 'in "coupled position (Fig; 3) the lock operatingllever 38 of oneof the compl isactuated by raising it from its position, as she n' Bias- 1 and 2, to a position correspopdingto that shown Fig. 4.- This actuation ofthelever causes forwardlyby'the force of the:compres sed 19 Spring the couplers uncoupled, the lock-set nien helrj s, no longerengages the buflingiaceiq thsap c ns pier and therefore the lock-setffrnemberis' freetobe moved Aswill e bes en f m i pon s chiforwar movement or warlock-set member, the f rwardly facin ab me r a 2 1 th un er id 1sr 0 ;-.s1idit s 5' engages the rearwardly -facing, downwardly sloping come plementary portion. 64 on the bottomsurface 49 of slot The'lock and associated lock lever are then mew move back to locking position after which the weight of the lock-set member 58 causes it to'assume once again ,a'substantially, horizontal position. ,Itwillbe seen that'the weight of theenlarged sectionfifl of the body portion 0f. the lock-set member aids in causing the latterv to its normal horizontal position;

Thus, a convenient and safe means .is ZPIQ! lug 59 on the lock-set member and thus the lock and associated lever will move back to a locking position in a manner similar to that as aforedescribed.

It will be seen from Figs. 2, 5 and 8 that the downwardly curved portion 43 at the outer end of arm 41 of the lock lever 38 (Figs. 6 and 7) maintains the lock-set member 58 in proper position in slot 46 in the coupler head by providing a lateral support therefor. Portion 43 thereby prevents the lock-set member from becoming cocked in the slot and jamming the operating mechanism. Portion 43 of the lever also overlaps the adjacent portion of the lock shank 30b (Figs. 2 and 4) and ensures that the lever and lock will not inadvertently become disassembled as wear occurs between the various parts of the coupler.

The coupler is assembled by first inserting the lock-set member 58 into the cavity 32 in the coupler head and then feeding the hooked head portion 58a through the coredout portion 54 in the bufiing jaw, after which the member is rotated into proper position in slot 46 in the coupler head. The other parts of the coupler are then inserted in the usual manner to complete the assembly.

It will be seen that a coupler embodying the invention will easily couple with other similar types of couplers not embodying the invention and that the novel locksetting mechanism does not interfere in any manner with the operation of the coupler.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be readily understood that the invention provides novel lock-set mechanism for a rigid-jawed type coupler comprising a movable lock-set member that is adapted for tilting movement in a recess in the coupler head, said member having a lock-set seat thereon which engages a portion of the lock operating lever to thereby maintain the lock of the coupler in retracted or lock-set position, when the coupler is coupled to an opposing coupler. It will also be understood that when the coupled couplers are separated, the lock of the coupler is moved from lock-set position to locking position without any actuation of the operating mechanism and therefore is automatically in proper position for further coupling operations.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described or of the portions thereof as fall within the purview of the claims.

I claim:

-1. In a rigid-jawed car coupler having a head, said head comprising a side wall disposed rearwardly of one of said jaws, a lock slidably mounted in said head adjacent said wall, a lever pivotally mounted on said head and interconnected with said lock for moving the latter rearwardly to an unlocking position, said wall having a generally longitudinally extending slot on the inner side thereof, said slot continuing forwardly through the associated jaw, and a reciprocable lock-set member disposed in said slot, said member being movable by said lever to lock-set position simultaneously upon actuation of the lever to move the lock to unlocking position, said member in said lock-set position being in abutting engagement with said lever to maintain the lock in said unlocking position and the forward end of said member extending through the slot in said jaw for engagement with an opposing similar coupler when the couplers are intercoupled.

2. In a car coupler having a head, said head comprising a pair of transversely spaced rigid-jaws adapted to interengage with the jaws of an opposing coupler, said head comprising a side wall disposed rearwardly of one of said jaws, a movable lock disposed'adjacent said wall, a lever mounted on said head and interconnected with said lock for moving the lock to an unlocking position, said wall having a generally longitudinally extending slot on the inner side thereof, said slot extending forwardly through the associated jaw, and a lockset member movable in said slot, said member having a laterally extending lug thereon comprising a rearwardly facing lock-set seat, said lever having a forwardly facing abutment surface thereon, said member being movable by said lever to operative position in which abutting engagement occurs between said seat and said surface for holding said lock in said unlocking position, the forward end of said member extending through the slot in said jaw for engagement with a similar opposing coupler when the couplers are intercoupled, to hold the members in said operative position.

3. In a rigid-jawed car coupler having a head, said head comprising a side wall, a lock in said head adjacent said wall, resilient means for maintaining said lock in forward locking position, a lever pivotally mounted on said head, said lever comprising a lower arm interconnected with said lock for moving the latter rearwardly to an unlocking position, said wall having a generally longitudinally extending slot therein, and movable lockset means disposed in said slot for abutting engagement with said lever arm to maintain said lock in unlocking position, said arm having a downwardly extending portion adjacent said lock-set means to provide lateral support for the latter in said slot.

4. In a car coupler comprising a head, a bufling jaw and a pulling jaw on said head, a side wall extending rearwardly from said bufiing jaw, said bufiing jaw having a generally longitudinally extending opening therein, said side wall having a generally longitudinally extending slot on the inner side thereof forming a continuation of said opening, a web joining the top and bottom surfaces of said slot substantially adjacent the forward ends thereof, a movable lock-set member disposed in said slot and said opening, said member comprising a hook-shaped head portion engageable with the front surface of said web to limit the rearward movement of said member during movement of the associated coupler lock to lock-set position, an opening in said side wall, and a projection on said member extending through said lastmentioned opening, said projection providing handle means for manually moving said member to inoperative position.

5. A lock-set member for a car coupler of the rigidjawed type comprising ahead portion and a body portion, said head portion being of hook-shaped configuration and said body portion being enlarged adjacent its rearward end, said enlarged end comprising a forwardly facing rearwardly sloping cam surface adapted to engage a complementary surface in a coupler to cause the member to move to a forwardly tilted position during movement of the lock of the coupler from lock-set to locking position.

6. A lock-set member in accordance with claim 5 wherein said member comprises a laterally extending lug on the inner side thereof, said lug having a rearwardly facing lock-set seat thereon adapted for engagement with an associated lock operating lever.

7. A lock-set member in accordance with claim 6 comprising a laterally extending projection on the outer side thereof to provide means for manually lifting said member to said forwardly tilted position.

8. In a rigid-jawed coupler, a lock slidably mounted adjacent one of the jaws for movement between a forward locking position and a rearward unlocking position, means for urging the lock forwardly, a lock-set member reciprocably supported for movement between a forward lock-releasing position and a rearward locksetting position, an operating lever having a portion connected with the lock in following relation therewith and adapted upon actuation of the lever to move the lock to said unlocking position, said lever having, means thereon for engagement with said member to move the latter to said lock-setting position simultaneously with movement of the lock to unlocking position, said lever "having ar'lsurfm #diiPOsfifi Piaf pposing y eng jngaa surface of said Hmemberat said unlocking position pf the dock and said .lock-settingposition of the member toresistiforward movementof the lock.

9. In 'a-rigid-jawed :coupler, a'lockslidably mounted setting position, an operating lever 'having :a portion connected with the lock .in following relation therewith and adapted uponiactuation of the :lever'to move the to said unlocking position, said lever havingmeans thereon for engagement with said member to move the latter to "said lock-setting position simultaneously with movement of :the lockto iunlocking position, the lever portion =havingia forwardlyfacingsmface rand said-.mem-

, berhaving iairearwardly facing surface arranged for engagement at said unlocking position of the lock ,and

saidtlockrset i g position of themember.

. .1.().=A .car couplercomprising a headhavingapairpf rigid transversely spaced :jaws, :a lock :slidably mounted adjacent one'of'the jaws for movement between-a rearward unlocking position and a forwardlocking position inlwhich "1t. traps the jaw of another coupler between said-jaws, means for urging the lock 'forwardly,;a.lockset memberfreciprocably supported "for movement between a 'forwardlock-re'leasing position and a rearward lock-setting position, anoperating leverhaving a portion connecte wi h the lock in following relation therewith an adapted 1u pon actuation of the lever .to .move the look to said unlocking: position, saidleverhavingmean's thereon for engagement :with said :member to lmove' the latter to said .lock setting position simultaneously with movement of the .lockto unlocking position, said lever portion having aforWardly-facing surface andsaid-memberj ha'ving a ,rearwardlyfacing surface arranged for engagement at said unlocking position of thelock and said lock-setting positionof the member. 7

11. The car coupler of claim 1-0 comprising-means for shifting the lock-set member out of engagement with therlever as the lock =andrsaid member move forwardly irom respective rearward positions to their forward positions, said means comprising an upwardly inclined rearwardlyfacing surface of the head in opposed engage able relation with a downwardlyrfacing .sunfi-acecf the member at thereanward position :of the latter. 1.2- ;The car coupler of claim 8 wherein the headiof the coupler has a bnifing jaw, and the lock-set member is disposed adjacent the inner surface of ;a side wall contiguous with thegbuffing-jaw and has ,aiorward hoole shaped portion for engagement with the bnffing jaw to limit rearward movement ofthememher. 1

'Referencesfiited the file of this patent Wittmer et Feb; 19 35 

